Sunday Puzzle

10:03 pm

Sat April 28, 2012

To Cross This Puzzle Safely, Look Left And Right

On-Air Challenge: Every answer today is a familiar three-word phrase in which the second word is "and" and the first word starts with the letter L. You'll be given the last word of the phrase, and you must identify the first word, starting with "L." For example, given "master," the answer would be "lord," as in "lord and master."

Last Week's Challenge from listener Jim Waters of Bellingham, Wash.: Think of a common man's name in four letters, one syllable. Move each letter exactly halfway around the alphabet. For example, A would become N, N would become A, and B would become O. The result will be a common woman's name in two syllables. What names are these?

Answer: "Glen" and "Tyra"

Winner: Matt Pallai of Denver, Colo.

Next Week's Challenge: Name the capital of a country that, when said out loud, sounds like a three-word phrase. This phrase might describe the reason why the police did not catch a barefoot thief. What is the capital, and what is the reason?

If you know the answer to next week's challenge, submit it here. Listeners who submit correct answers win a chance to play the on-air puzzle. Important: Include a phone number where we can reach you Thursday at 3 p.m. Eastern.

Copyright 2012 National Public Radio. To see more, visit http://www.npr.org/.

Transcript

DAVID GREENE, HOST:

This is WEEKEND EDITION from NPR News. I'm David Greene. And it is time for the puzzle.

(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)

GREENE: Let's start with last week's challenge from the puzzle editor of the New York Times and WEEKEND EDITION's puzzle master Will Shortz.

WILL SHORTZ, BYLINE: Think of a common man's name in four letters, one syllable. Move each letter exactly halfway around the alphabet. The result will be a common woman's name in two syllables. What names are these?

GREENE: All right. Well, almost a thousand of you figured out the answer to that puzzle. And our randomly selected winner this week is Matt Pallai of Denver, Colorado. Matt, congratulations to you.

MATT PALLAI: Thank you, David.

GREENE: So, Matt, tell us what was the answer to that challenge from last week.

PALLAI: The man's name is Glen and the woman's name is Tyra.

GREENE: Very nice work. So, did you go through the whole alphabet of men's names to get there? I mean, how long are we talking?

PALLAI: This one was long. It took about 15, 20 minutes. And, no, I lined the letters one letter under the next letter and started looking for vowel and consonant patterns and eventually there it was. It jumped out at me.

GREENE: You had a very organized system. Well, are you...

PALLAI: For a very disorganized guy.

(SOUNDBITE OF LAUGHTER)

GREENE: Well, you call yourself disorganized. What do you do in Denver?

PALLAI: Actually, I'm a business analyst for an online travel agency. So, I do a lot of work with numbers but my desk is a little messy.

GREENE: Good to know, like mine. But before we go on, let's bring in the puzzle editor of the New York Times, WEEKEND EDITION's puzzle master Will Shortz. Hey, Will.

SHORTZ: Hey, David. Good morning. Congratulations, Matt. That was not an easy puzzle, so I'm impressed.

PALLAI: It was fun. It was a lot of fun.

GREENE: You know, Will, before we go on - I mean, it's nice to play the puzzle with you but I have to stop for one second, because I have to tell you, you were on my vacation recently. And I have a clip of tape to prove it. Listen to this.

SHORTZ: That is "How I Met Your Mother." I was on that sitcom two years ago.

GREENE: That's right. I was watching it on the plane ready to come back and host WEEKEND EDITION. I'm like there's Will Shortz. He's with me already.

SHORTZ: You can't escape me.

GREENE: As I say, indeed. Will, let's - so let's get back to business. Matt, are you ready to play?

PALLAI: I hope so.

GREENE: OK. Will, let's do it.

SHORTZ: Yes. Matt, every answer today is a familiar three-word phrase in which the second word is and, and the first word starts with the letter L. I'll give you the third word of the phrase - that is the end - you tell me the first word, starting with L. For example, if I said master, you would say lord, as in lord and master.

PALLAI: OK. I think I've got it.

SHORTZ: All right. Number one is order.

PALLAI: Law.

SHORTZ: Law and order is right. Number two is learn.

PALLAI: Live.

SHORTZ: Uh-huh. Right, R-I-G-H-T.

PALLAI: Left.

SHORTZ: Left and right. Found.

PALLAI: Lost.

SHORTZ: Uh-huh. Clear.

PALLAI: Something and clear. Clear.

SHORTZ: I hear you...

PALLAI: Loud.

SHORTZ: Loud and clear is it. Small.

PALLAI: Large.

SHORTZ: Um-hum. Clark.

PALLAI: Clark?

SHORTZ: That's it - the name Clark.

PALLAI: Like a Clark bar? Am I hearing that right?

SHORTZ: Like a Clark bar, yeah.

PALLAI: Lewis.

SHORTZ: Lewis and Clark is it. It comes to you. Width, W-I-D-T-H.

PALLAI: Length.

SHORTZ: Uh-huh. Inside.

PALLAI: Low.

SHORTZ: Oh, that's a good one. Gentlemen.

PALLAI: Ladies.

SHORTZ: Uh-huh. Hardy, H-A-R-D-Y.

PALLAI: Laurel.

SHORTZ: That's right. McCartney.

PALLAI: Lennon.

SHORTZ: Uh-huh. Times.

PALLAI: Times. Life.

SHORTZ: Life and times is it. Key, K-E-Y.

PALLAI: Lock.

SHORTZ: Uh-huh. Kisses.

PALLAI: Love.

SHORTZ: That's it. Behold.

PALLAI: Lo.

SHORTZ: That's it. And the next one is a four-word phrase, ending the tramp.

PALLAI: Lady.

SHORTZ: Lady. And your last one is a five-word phrase, ending justice for all.

PALLAI: Liberty.

SHORTZ: Wow. Matt, you killed.

GREENE: Matt, you're a machine.

(SOUNDBITE OF LAUGHTER)

PALLAI: I stumbled a little bit there, David. I was sure I was going to have to call in your help.

GREENE: You're a machine. So, Will, would you have taken Lois and Clark from "Superman" instead of Lewis and Clark?

SHORTZ: Lois and Clark, that works too.

GREENE: All right. Well, that's good to know. Hey, Matt, you're incredible. That was - congratulations - that was really nice.

PALLAI: A pleasure.

GREENE: Well, and for playing the puzzle today, you are going to get a WEEKEND EDITION lapel pin and also puzzle books and games. And you can read all about it at NPR.org/Puzzle. And before we let you go, Matt, tell us what your public radio station is.

PALLAI: KCFR in Denver.

GREENE: All right, well, hello to Denver. Matt Pallai of Denver, Colorado, thank you for playing the puzzle this week.

PALLAI: Thank you.

GREENE: All right, Will, the challenge for next week, give it to us.

SHORTZ: Yes, name the capital of a country that, when said out loud, sounds like a three-word phrase. And this phrase might describe the reason why the police did not catch a barefoot thief. What is the capital and what is the reason?

So again, the capital of a country, say it out loud, three-word phrase. This phrase might describe the reason why the police did not catch a barefoot thief. What's the capital and what is that reason?

GREENE: All right, everyone, have fun with that. When you have the answer, you can go to our website, NPR.org/puzzle and click on the Submit Your Answer link - just one entry per person, please. Our deadline for entries is Thursday, May 3rd at 3 P.M. Eastern Time. And please include a phone number where we can reach you at about that time. And if you're the winner, we will give you a call, and you'll get to play on the air, right here with the puzzle editor of The New York Times and WEEKEND EDITION's puzzle-master, Will Shortz.